Some Sandy victims dream of $425M Powerball riches

11/26/2012
ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONG BEACH, N.Y. — Forget FEMA, insurance adjusters and construction cleanups. Some of the people hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy are hoping one thing this week answers their prayers: a $425 million Powerball jackpot.

It's one of the biggest multistate takes in U.S. history.

The high hopes extend to Long Beach, a hard-hit community on Long Island just outside New York City.

Retiree Raymond Parker wants to share the joy when the Powerball winning numbers are chosen Wednesday night. Says Parker: “A lot of people should win, not just one.”

Like many Long Beach residents, Parker said his car was destroyed by rising floodwaters during the storm. But he's not contemplating buying a new one if he wins the jackpot.

The 67-year-old joked that he'd probably hire a chauffeur instead.